Simplify Your Show quality bodywork on your restoration and dialing in the sheet metal.

[@jamesdisney9150]

It’s great to have somebody be honest and tell the truth when it comes to working on cars like this great job because it is a ton of work and money

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much and yes I agree expectation management really is the only way to have satisfied customers in the long run. The only way to do that is be open and honest upfront and along the process.

[@adyjames8204]

Man. You break everything down so well. Thanks for taking your time to share your method. I am planning on fully prepping my first car this winter/spring.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome and good luck on your build

[@speedokoterefinishnetwork4937]

I have so much respect for guys who do rotisserie work .

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much!

[@dodge73dart]

I’ve been chasing my wife’s cats around for days trying to collect enough kitty hair to add to my filler! We’ve got some hairless cats now. Thanks Rick. Your videos are always awesome.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Haha in this heat they will be alright, thanks a lot.

[@mback12000]

Working with your family = very nice!

[@carthageclassiccars]

That you very much. It is the best when they come out to help.

[@marlonbarrentine6268]

Wow man how meticulous, a true craftsman!!! I have a 69 Nova that could use your expertise in the near future.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much, feel free to get in touch with me always love working on a Nova.

[@YootubeUK]

Nice work and a lovely shaped car.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you and yes i agree its got really nice curves

[@jameslawson8193]

With content like this your channel will have over 100K subs in no time. Incredible video

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you so very much!

[@travistrammell3424]

Nice job and great info.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much!

[@tonytavolieri1663]

Another great video! Very good job explaining the process! Not many people go this degree of restoration !

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much.

[@timjohn2810]

Excellent content, very thorough explanation of what, where and why. Great tutorial Rick. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and skill set.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are welcome and I really appreciate you watching and the feedback.

[@MidnightOilsRestoration]

Excellent process and working wisdom, you’re ahead of your time brother… keep up the great work! 👏👏

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you so much for the kind words and watching.

[@davidbrown-55]

Time for you to get some sponsors. Great work again. Nice long vid. Thanks👍

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome, yes its just hard with sponsors as I am not trying to push products I don't actually believe in.

[@danielcampbell9220]

Great video Rick, great no nonsense information, advice and work. These videos are really appreciated, thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience!

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are welcome. Thanks a lot for watching and the comment.

[@nansiblair1529]

Hello from Canada. Hubby and I came across your channel recently and are hooked. Your knowledge, meticulous detail to work and your articulate way of sharing your knowledge are awesome. We have been binge watching your videos and have subscribed so we can know when you have a new one. Working with your family is great. We love that. Thank you so much for sharing your knowledge with the rest of us. Hoping you get many more subscribers, your work is worth it.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are welcome. Also thank you very much for subscribing, following along and the kind words of encouragement.

[@tao196580241]

Great work. I'm building a 57 Chevy 2dr hardtop. I have learned a few things from this channel as well a Sylvester's customs. Been building for a lot of years, theses guys are good.

[@carthageclassiccars]

He has a great channel, thank you very much!

[@TLervis]

I learned a ton from this video. Many thanks.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Awesome, you're welcome!

[@Kracker215]

Thank you Rick. For my car I don't have everything you have for these builds, but there's a lot in this video that will help me get a better fished straight body, matter of fact I learn something in every one of your videos. One thing is KZbinrs will start block sanding after a few days of epoxy primer, there's a funny story about that too but know I know why the issue happened.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are welcome and yes I understand I am invested a lot more heavily in tools then most as I use them everyday, but your right the basic principle is the same and that's the goal if most everyone picks up one or two ideas or tricks then the video was a success.

[@SwiftRIBSAust]

Great Vid - l ended up doing high build epoxy, spray guide coat, filler, thinned high build epoxy, slicksand, probably not that efficient, but let me go over the body plenty of times !

[@carthageclassiccars]

There is no set in stone way to do this as long as your products work and bond together correctly. Sounds like you got it done and that's all that matters. Thanks a lot for sharing your process and watching.

[@rafaelreyes4251]

Thanks for sharing. I will continue the process as it is a lot of information.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome

[@LeoNidas-301]

Another great Video. Thanks Rick.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome thanks for watching

[@garylietz6305]

Great information........thanks.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome

[@SeanJoseph-s2s]

Good content and thank you for the tips... looking forward to seeing more of this project....🔧🔧👍

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thanks a lot for watching along!

[@garryhatchett775]

Awesome work!

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you

[@j1m3by]

Awesome vid. I watched a different channel that touched on preserving the pedigree of the more rare Challengers, Cudas etc.They touched on vin numbers matching on various panels, swapping those special panels onto lesser value cars, molding hole filling, etc. It would be fun for you to give a show and tell on your philosophy on this issue and what can be done on a rare car in which you have to perform major panel replacement. Thanks!

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thats a problem that has been going on for as long as I can remember with these car. Honestly because of it the numbers and the "special cars" hold less value to me. We both can probably agree this car will be build with better quality then original and had a lot more time and care into it so to me this restored one is worth more. I think the appeal for me with originality is the idea that no one has hacked it up that bad. Saying that I do love cloning and replicated to the best ability factory made cars with a few hidden protection areas covered. I can probably talk on this subject for hours and go back and forth on a lot of things with this. Right now main opinion, if you want it build it don't be stuck on the fender tag if its not what you want.

[@ninja_slothsracer]

very cool process! thanks for the tips

[@carthageclassiccars]

You're welcome glad you enjoyed it

[@plantpoweredhealth9383]

Another great video! I've found the Melomotive Splines save over filling some of the panel and can save you time sanding too. You can check profiles too in both directions. So many great tools out there too help dial in the process.

[@carthageclassiccars]

That is great advice. I have heard a lot about splines, understand their benefit and might decide to try them soon. Ill check out the Melomotive ones thanks a lot for the tip.

[@plantpoweredhealth9383]

@carthageclassiccars you're welcome! They actually just completed a sweet green Cuda restoration with modern efi engine. The bodywork and their channel is pretty helpful, just like yours. 😊👍

[@Zedsdead83]

Dam sir that gonna be 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thanks I hope so

[@Zedsdead83]

@@carthageclassiccars nothing better than crisp sharp lines on an old car. Thats like wizardry to me,

[@Carpentersspecial]

Tutorial excellence! Thanks for sharing your knowledge and the how to's. What gun and nozzle sizes would you recommend for the epoxy primer and the slicksand? Thank You.

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are welcome! With the slicksand I won't personally go under a 2.0, but I prefer the 2.5 tip used in the video.

[@Papaws-Hobbies]

Good info

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you!

[@markkowalski9693]

Wow Rick!! I really love your work. I’m hoping to start working on my 69 judge by the end of the year. Maybe we can get together sometime for you to give me an idea as to what I’m looking for metal work.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thanks a lot and sounds good!

[@jeffallen3382]

I got the notification this time Rick!

[@carthageclassiccars]

Great to hear

[@alisafoley4004]

Love your videos so detailed very helpful i hace a question i am looking into getting a rotisserie didnt know if you had a preference or pros n cons on a few there are just so many to choice from didnt know what would be best thank you have a blessed day

[@carthageclassiccars]

It all depends on what you have in your shop as far as tools already. I currently have 4 rotisseries around that all are a little different. Do you have a lift to get a rotisserie in the air or access to one? If not you might one to look at one that you can set the car low and have hydraulic rams on each side so you can go up and down. This rotisserie was a basic rotisserie in the sense it can not adjust up or down and you need a lift to raise it. It keeps cost down but also makes other stuff challenging, but what I am doing with it doesn't bother me. I also on one of mine like the offset wheel design that drops down the rotisserie lower, you see with limited height and even with me being a taller guy I think the wheel setup on this rotisserie was a little high for my liking vs the black one that is a home build unit lowering the wheel level. Good luck on your search, this red unit was a champ and I am pleased for the price what it does.

[@alisafoley4004]

@carthageclassiccars ok thank you I have a 2 post lift I been working on car while it's on it just gets in way at times rotisserie I thought would be much better I started with one charger to restore for me n turn around same weekend bought my son one then last year I bought 2. 1973 cudas so I thought a rotisserie would make this process alot easier and easier to do all the priming n filler paint especially underneath I really appreciate your fast response I watch all your videos on my lunch break very helpful best videos I have found

[@motomarcel1]

Can you give us an example of a door seam that’s folded over when you open your door? Thanks again for the awesome videos!!

[@carthageclassiccars]

I have a video on a door skin process on a 73 challenger where I install a door skin. In that video I show how the doors are folded over on themselves. Its like a1/4 inch fold over if you cut or add to much on that it looks just off.

[@danielrobinson6719]

Awesome work. But don’t think people won’t get on their knees looking for the slightest imperfections that’s how people are unfortunately. I’m going to subscribe because I can’t wait to see them done, I’m hoping in black

[@carthageclassiccars]

You are 100% right they will. According to this owner they are not worried about that. In my world that's all I really care about pleasing is the owner.

[@midnighttutor]

Very well presented! If you have a chance could you please answer a related question? After having block sanded with long hard blocks so everything is laser straight and flat (after letting set several weeks), do you ever burn through to bare metal or filler in small spots, like size of a quarter or half dollar, or a couple inches of an edge when you are doing final sanding before paint at 180 or 400 grit? And then get in a vicious cycle of spot prime with epoxy, sand and burn through again, and repeat like an infinite loop? If you have any tips for how to break the cycle and finally get it paint ready and flat your thoughts would be most greatly appreciated.

[@ninja_slothsracer]

what i did to combat that is to use a red scotch or 400-600 wet while fixing small burn through's with a aerosol 2-1 primer for penny or less sizes. not sure how it will react in the long run

[@midnighttutor]

@@ninja_slothsracer Thank you for your thoughts. I have some of eastwood 2k aerosol primer but otherwise using all PPG products so a little nervous to introduce it. And once you initiate the can it is only good for 48 hours.... It seems to be not a question of flatness but of sanding technique that I need to fix...or just get over what is probably a few thousandths of difference

[@carthageclassiccars]

When you are blocking, are you using the wrong block for the panel. The laser flat blocks are great on really flat panels but a lot of these cars have contour to them. If there is one spot breaking out and the blocks are not the problem you just might have some stretched out metal. I will take a body hammer or a shrinking hammer and lightly keep tapping it not bouncing off the metal trying to work the high in its surrounding areas. This is a light method not like a cave and pave where you dent it then fill it. Worse cars scenario open up that area to bare metal around it if you cant get it down and I would use a heat shrinking disc to pull it down. Epoxy prime it then build back up with your 2 k to feather out

[@midnighttutor]

@@carthageclassiccars Thank you for these great tips I am going to use them today. One quick follow-up: after re spot priming, what grit would you start with?

[@jeepdoc3193]

Love you videos keeps me going on mine. Question is do you just epoxy the inner structures and inner 1/4s and leave it or do you paint with either body color or some other paint before welding on the 1/4s?

[@carthageclassiccars]

You could really go the extra mile and paint / clear all the inner structure with the pieces off then just touch up the welded seam. I personally am not going to do that as I wasn't even sure if i was going to paint this car a few months ago. I will just trim out the car best I can with everything apart but at least I know if we do miss anything it is all sealed up.

[@jeepdoc3193]

@@carthageclassiccars been on the fence thinking ill probably just paint /clear it all then not much more work and if I don't it will probably bother me

[@jeffallgeyer9090]

Do you run your tig with a pedal or a button on your torch? I find it hard to manage the pedal in situations like this. I have been thinking about getting a button for the torch. Awesome videos, I’m borrowing some of your tricks.

[@carthageclassiccars]

I have both. I actually like the foot pedal a lot better but your right there are times that its just more of a paint then the heat control is worth. On this video I used all the trigger switch as my foot pedal broke a few days before I started gapping this car and parts took two weeks to arrive.

[@SixBarrel]

A super job 🍻, a lot of skill and passion in this mopars .

[@carthageclassiccars]

Thank you very much glad it shows the passion I have for building some nice cars

[@michaelgrogan3224]

👍

[@Shopworks-w2p]

Wow, impressive! That's some serious work. Apologies if this is a dumb question, but is there any deflection in the body that rebounds when it's taken off the rot? I'd be afraid those door gaps changing... I've never done this so I'm just curious.

[@carthageclassiccars]

It can, usually with a full car its very minimal on a solid car especially one with subframe connectors. (this one doesn't have subframe connectors) Saying that the doors on this one were a bit stiff to close so readjusted them barely and it was just fine. On your question all the welding and metal gap tuning is on the frame JIG before the rotisserie so realistically as long as body lines line up the bodywork will be straight and I can readjust if it moves back slightly on the wheels. I should have mentioned that but i try to never cut or grind on a rotisserie for exactly the reason you mentioned .

[@dons1932]

Hey man, love the channel! Question - let's say I'm building a race car chassis with lots of roll cage bars and bare metal. If I'm spraying epoxy to cover all the bare steel surfaces, and then planning on painting straight over that with a 2k base and 2k clear, no bodywork or extra primer needed due to weight saving. If I wait longer than the 3 day adhesion time for the epoxy, how do I then prepare the epoxy surface for the paint to stick to it, given that epoxy can't really be sanded? Would you just give it a wax and grease clean and paint over it, or scuff it with red scotch brite pads, or what is the process? Obviously it's going to likely take more than 3 days to keep preparing the rest of the car, with the priority being getting the bare steel into epoxy while the rest of that work is being done. But I'm a bit lost as to how to progress it from there by the time it's ready to put actual paint on. Normally you'd poly prime over the epoxy and then you can paint that, but as mentioned that's unneccessary weight on a race car and it doesn't need to be blocked down flat or any bodywork to justify that layer.

[@carthageclassiccars]

So with the epoxy you need to consult the TDS (technical data sheet) on the exact epoxy you are using as they all have different slight recommendations. For instance this epoxy says scuff in 120 grit after the 3 day period. I would follow this as epoxy can be scuffed, it will gum up the paper a bit. Another option if you haven't thought of it is after your done with the bare metal, wipe just a little ospho on the bars, that will keep them ready in bare metal, then sand and scuff that and epoxy right before base. Also not all epoxies work with ospho so try a test panel first

[@jimdrechsel3611]

Curious if you can just use a DA to strip the E Coat? As a recent test fit on a 70 Dart I stated with the hood to gap then doors and then tried to fit quarter panels with the trunk and quarter extensions. I noticed the quarter extensions were not ending up even with the end of the trunk lid. Any suggestions for trouble shooting? It didn’t seem like there was much movement allowable in the quarters without throwing something off. What do you think I might have to change or align differently? Great video. Took a lot of notes.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Yes 100% you can strip with a DA, i find it wears out sandpaper faster and take a little longer. Also with the quarter extensions I would move the trunk or cut the end of the quarters right before the trunk extensions and move them either back or forward to align with the trunk end. I have run into something similar on other cars.Its also a lot easier to do a little everywhere to make it work vs just working one particular area excessive.

[@bryancostlow8508]

Very thorough explanation. Thank you for sharing your years of experience and knowledge.

[@jimdrechsel3611]

Thank you Rick. So have you tried the All Metal for the lead seams? You obviously like this fiberglass product better? Do you weld a continuous seam where the lead seams were like the roof rails? By the way Eagle has disc I haven’t tried yet for stripping called MaxCut. Wonder if you tried their products. Supposed to prevent clogging and cut much faster and better.

[@pmp2559]

Is it just wire ER 70-50 or ER 70s-3? Sorry if I missed it, thank you

[@carthageclassiccars]

It was er70s-2 rod actually, not sure if I mentioned that. My Mig uses ER70-6 that every now and then I will twist up and use as filler rod .030 instead of the 1/16 if I need it.

[@michaelgrogan3224]

A surface that has surface rust would be ok with the 40grit drum followed by 80grill DA?

[@carthageclassiccars]

I would try the 40 grit drum first, then possibly follow up with the red drum it might help get some of the smaller ones out. Look really close as I have had times on cars that came in before the rust was on there so long I have no choice but to treat what the stripping drum wont remove with Ospho and a red scotch brite to get the rest of it off. I try not to use the Ospho unless really needed so work down the steps

[@raymondw7875]

When sanding filler my paper always plugs up as I'm just getting started. After I get a good scuff on it I can sand from there without the paper plugging up. How do I avoid the paper plugging up? I feel like I waste a piece of sandpaper just to get going.

[@carthageclassiccars]

Use the sand paper you are about to throw out and keep it on the block or try the hacksaw blade to rough it up. Also when it clogs have to tried compressed air to blow it off. A lot of times you can blow it right off and the teeth on the sandpaper aren't hurt.

[@michaelgrogan3224]

I don't really want to dip or blast the car for fear of getting it ruined. 71 Demon with surface rust over top sides

[@carthageclassiccars]

Yes i understand, follow those few steps I listed I think it will have good results for you

[@tonyparadiso8046]

shouldnt put filler on bare metal

[@carthageclassiccars]

You obviously didn't watch ANY of the video of you would know there is NO filler on bare metal on this car.